Scent of a Chat Noir
by Overworkedunderwhelmed
Summary: Exhausted as they both were after yet another late night fight, Marinette didn't hesitate to save her Kitty. She just hadn't expected his mask to slip away at the moment she did. Nor did she expect her curiosity about how she'd managed to such key clues to only be the start of their troubles... (Sequel to A Breath of Fresh Air)
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

Thanks to Kellarhi and Enberlight for looking over this one! 3

To LNC and Yunyin: Whose prodding really made me create a 5 chapter or so sequel to the lonely one shot I've made in I can't even remember how long... :3

* * *

**(Sequel to A Breath of Fresh Air)**

* * *

They walked in lockstep back towards class - an impressive feat since Adrien was at least a full head taller.

Marinette risked a peek over at him and blanched, swallowing hard. She knew his height - and that particular view up at him - all too well.

She knew all of him all too well…

Marinette closed her eyes, lagging a bit as she tried to calm her suddenly erratic breathing. She had spent the entire last year with him, racing across the rooftops and fighting to keep the city safe- there was no reason to freak out. That was why it was just so baffling just how much she must have missed. She bit her lip, crossing her arms over her chest.

When she felt brave enough to look up, she found Adrien with his hands jammed into his pockets, peering back over his shoulder at her. His shoulders had been hunched and dejected, heavy with a burden she'd only just realized they shared. It wasn't often that Adrien had drawn the censure of the teaching staff, and it wasn't wise for either of them to test the limits of Madame Bustier's patience. "You alright?"

She nodded and gave him an empathetic smile as she increased her gait to catch up. Neither of them could afford to dawdle; it was bad enough that she had discovered his secret- they couldn't afford for anyone else to get suspicious.

Gently, she patted his forearm. "Don't worry about me, alright?"

Adrien smiled in response, and carefully straightened his stooped posture as they approached the classroom door.

His eyes darted back towards hers, as he pulled on the handle, gesturing for her to enter first.

Even in such a small gesture as holding the door, she couldn't help but be mesmerized by the precariousness and pride of Chat Noir's warring in those familiar green eyes.

Especially now that she knew…

She bit her lip. Adrien must really be worried since Chat's odd sense of humor wasn't shining through...

Marinette peered down, wanting to make doubly sure that Plagg was tucked safely away in her purse. She blinked, finding both Kwami staring each other down instead.

Carefully closing the latch on her purse, Marinette sighed. She had to trust that Tikki would have Plagg safely in hand. She could worry about the superpowered pair later after she had a chance to breathe...

Or at least to think...

Marinette inhaled, steeling herself to re-enter the room. She glanced over at Adrien - at Chat Noir, she reminded herself. She could only imagine what must be going through his mind. Outwardly, the only indication that anything was different was how he'd been a little more reserved... and a little more quiet than usual.

Clutching the strap of her purse, Marinette smiled back at Adrien, desperate to reassure him that all was well as she stepped through the door that he was holding open for her.

Tilting his head back towards her, Adrien gave her an all-too-familiar, winning (if crooked) smile. "Thanks, Marinette."

Her cheeks flushed as she brushed past him, paying a little too much attention to the scent of his soap as she did so.

Walking up the few steps to her seat, Marinette shook her head, forcing herself to focus. Kwami only knew that she had enough on her mind for now, but he was counting on her to keep it together.

Slumping into her chair as discreetly as she could manage, Marinette felt as battle-drained in the aftermath of their little chat as she had from even the fiercest of fights.

She stared forward, feeling her purse swing heavily at her side with the weight of two Kwami and far more secrets…

Alya beamed over at her, proud of whatever small progress she'd assumed was made. She seemed more than ready with a high five, but it was probably best not to press Madame Bustier's goodwill with another disruption...

Her nose wrinkled up. It was progress for her, even if it had come in such an odd way. A year ago, she wasn't sure that she would have been able to hide her own panic at the revelation. Though a bit forced, Marinette smiled at her friend softly, before picking her pencil back up to resume her notes.

Marinette ran a hand over her hair, fussing with her bangs.

From the moment she'd realized that Adrien was her kitty, she was oddly calm. Far calmer than she'd ever thought she'd be.

Maybe it was just the urgency at that moment. Maybe it was the fact that she was perpetually over-tired. But, when she'd stared back into Adrien's wheat-green eyes, watching him struggle to maintain composure as the precarious situation struck, she instinctively felt all the panic he must have been feeling.

And at that moment, it was as if someone had flipped a switch to put her into "avert crisis" mode.

For better or worse, Marinette had learned to handle a crisis in the past year.

And this? Well, this definitely counted as a crisis.

Being unmasked was her own worst nightmare. Not because she didn't want the credit; it might even be nice to be recognized for once. Not because she didn't feel worthy; she knew full well that she had grown leaps and bounds to become the hero Paris deserved.

But with Hawkmoth still on the offensive, anyone knowing who she was would put everyone she knew and loved at risk. Hawkmoth had no compunctions about Akumatizing even very small children for his own nefarious ends. The old adage of "taking candy from a baby" was probably a principle he held dear. She had no doubt he wouldn't hesitate to use anyone and everyone against her if he ever found out.

She doodled aimlessly in her notebook, attempting to look busy even if her heart - and her mind - wasn't ready to process anything else just yet. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the moment she'd spotted Plagg's lazy grin and the half-lidded green eyes when he'd foolishly left Adrien's side… how she'd practically pounced, fighting both the rise of bile and surge of adrenaline which were warring for her attention. She'd known she had to act - and fast.

It was pure, dumb luck that Sabrina had misidentified Plagg and given Adrien a viable excuse for what had happened.

Alya was much, much too close - and was far too observant for her own good. Even Chloe or Nino might have noticed the tiny god's seemingly random appearance.

This was the risk in having so many secret superheroes in such close proximity. Too many people who knew exactly what a Kwami was. It was miraculous that no one had ever pieced it together before, honestly...

Marinette exhaled heavily, bringing herself back to the present moment. She watched Adrien fidget, his anxious gaze slipping back occasionally to meet hers.

Now - with the initial crisis averted, and Plagg safely nestled with Tikki in the bag at her side - it was her turn to not-so-quietly fret… and the full weight of everything started to sink in.

She gnawed her lower lip again, struggling to tune in to Madame Bustier's lecture on the finer points of the book she hadn't been able to get more than a chapter into the night before. But, it was hard to pay attention when her eyes kept mentally trying to place Kitty ears on the head of the boy in front of her.

She'd stared - entirely smitten - at the back of his head for so long that it was almost a little jarring to try to concentrate on class now.

However, the more she looked at him, the more the Adrien is Chat thing made the oddest bit of sense.

Her mind was slowly filing away the tiniest of details, the slightest of ticks. It was oddly fascinating just how much she had unknowingly ignored and oddly comforting to realize just how much the miraculous magic must have been keeping them all safe.

When they had originally met, Plagg had mentioned that Chat Noir tended to mimic his own actions. She closed her eyes at the memory of the tiny but fierce Kwami, dismissing a whole host of his old misadventures and adamant that he step in when Adrien could not. That little bit of Plagg's ridiculousness had made her feel most at ease when Chat Noir was missing.

Realization hit her, and suddenly, Marinette sat back in her chair, gaping in stunned silence. She felt the weight of guilt settling on her shoulders for believing Plagg's fib at the time. Chat Noir hadn't actually lost his Miraculous… he had lost use of it, except it very definitely hadn't been his fault.

She herself had been helpless to do anything but watch as Style Queen trapped Adrien as her very first victim.

It was just lucky that Plagg hadn't been trapped as well.

* * *

Marinette was still a bit dazed after class as she trudged down toward the Chemistry classroom at Alya's side.

Alya merely smiled, clicking her tongue at her. "I'll lend you my notes later."

"Thanks." Marinette smiled ruefully and hoped that one of these days - when she wasn't rushing off to save the city or confounded by her current predicament - she might actually be able to return the favor…

She'd hardly even noticed when Adrien stealthily snuck up to her other side. Not until he leaned over to whisper into her ear. "You're still okay to finish up our Chat?"

Marinette snorted at the half-purred pun. That was the part she was really struggling to reconcile. "Really?"

Adrien lingered close, and she absently noted the soap-scent still teasing her nose. At her continued silence, his brows rose in question.

She nodded, still not trusting her words to rush out and betray her.

"Great!" He beamed, winking with all of his alter ego's subtlety. "Then I'll walk you back once we're dismissed today."

She'd blinked after him in disbelief until Alya butted against her with a shoulder.

Marinette blew out a long breath before smiling widely. He might be her Kitty, but this was one thing she'd been dreaming to hear from Adrien's own lips.

Adrien was far more than a boy on a billboard. He had proven as much every day in class.

And Chat was already so many things to her at once, even if she'd always struggled to put a precise name to just what those things might be...

She was really irritated with herself for missing so many clues... she failed to notice that it was her crush who had been standing - and fighting - beside her all along. Was it because she had been so enamored by the idea of being in love?

Chat Noir gave her hope and confidence. From the very beginning, Chat Noir had built her up when the world tore her down, in a way that she never would forget. She also knew she could be Ladybug... that she could save Paris without him. Point of fact, she'd already had to on more than one occasion. But she just didn't really want to be a hero without him.

Fighting Style Queen without him had been an immense challenge. Plagg had even had to go against Master Fu to see them both safe. She had seen for herself just how lazy he tended to be, which was a testament to how dire the situation had been.

So while she could physically do the job without him, she trusted that he would be there for her - unless he physically couldn't be at the time.

He was the irreplaceable friend she couldn't do without.

Alya jostled her shoulder, snapping her focus back to attention once they reached the next classroom. Marinette peered down anxiously at the pink fabric of her purse. At least one of the Kwami was still in there, the bag still subtly swinging back and forth as they got to their seats and settled in.

But as Adrien's - ahem - hamster - was supposed to be inside, no one would think twice.

Of course, if Tikki read Plagg the riot act - as Marinette strongly suspected her Kwami wanted to - it would tip all of their hands...

It was only minutes before Adrien began anxiously trying to turn around, clearly fretting about Plagg… and maybe about what she might accidentally say about his secret. He clearly couldn't sit still, though she didn't blame him. Her own thoughts were wholly occupied by the situation at hand.

And very much centered on her partner who had been secretly sitting in front of her in school for the past year, fighting by her side for the whole time.

They had come a long way, in that time. As a team, they were now a well-oiled machine. She could read his actions in an instant and move to the safest spot to make up ground on taking down an Akuma. Likewise, he'd been growing wiser to the ways she thought… and could make a fair split-second guess where she'd need him.

Directly taking on Hawkmoth on Heroes Day had only proven that she'd really needed Chat Noir - how much she'd needed Adrien. So, while technically she could "do it without him", she didn't even want to try.

She couldn't afford to mess up the amazing dynamic they already had. That was why keeping things professional between the heroes had always been so necessary.

Keeping Paris safe - and the pair of them focused on that task - was the main reason she'd kept him at a distance even after she'd found Chat Noir's feelings for her were genuine.

Well, his feelings for Ladybug at least. Marinette frowned at that.

She bit her lip, mulling over the mysteries of the blond in front of her with fascination, noting he was bright red at to the very tips of his ears. He kept peeking back at her, apparently blushing a bit under her scrutiny.

Unfortunately, Marinette wasn't the only one to notice the not-so-subtle peeking. Mme. Bustier had been relatively understanding.

Mme. Mendeliev… not nearly so much. She wasn't known for being tolerant of people zoning out during class. And it looked like Adrien was going to be the focus of her ire today.

Maybe it was just all that she was processing, but she was surprisingly fine with allowing him to act as a distraction for now.

It was funny. All the positives she'd ever seen in Adrien were there in Chat Noir… and all the negatives she'd seen in Chat was in Adrien.

But instead of frustrating her, she was only more certain; now that she knew the whole of him, she wanted him - flaws and all - to stand at her side… whether it was fighting an Akuma, or the toughest Physics problem Madame Mendeliev could concoct.

And if the smug grin on Madame Mendeliev's face was any indication, they both would need all the help they could get.


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien sighed, slumping a bit further down into his seat.

He'd thought his rotten luck had ended… at least for today.

Madame Mendeliev was usually pleased with his coursework. It was one of his few classes that he could easily coast right through. But apparently, his distraction was just too much for her to take.

He couldn't help it though, not with the day he'd been having. He fretted, tugging his fingers through the hair at the back of his head.

It had taken every ounce of his focus not to turn around and actively agonize about Plagg. So instead, Adrien strained his neck, peering back over his shoulder every few minutes to make sure his Kwami was staying put.

Plagg hated to listen… and really hated being told what to do. Adrien understood how he felt all too well. Being constantly ordered all across Paris for photoshoots wasn't exactly his favorite thing either.

But Plagg running rogue had gotten them both in trouble… and would probably drag Marinette into his vortex of bad luck as well.

It was a little unbelievable that his unruly Kwami was sticking as close to Marinette as he was thus far, despite being unable to ply him with endless amounts of cheese.

But lunch was still another hour off… plenty of time for more trouble.

He grew more restless— caught between thoughtlessly doodling on his page, and peeking over his shoulder. This last time, he'd spotted Marinette's little pink purse swinging back and forth from her shoulder. When he dared to turn again, he watched as her own gaze also darted down to the little purse… and then around to their classmates to ensure no one else was any the wiser.

But his eyes had lingered too long… he knew because of the soft gasp that spilled from Marinette's lips as her soft blue eyes locked with his.

He blushed, realizing he was caught in the act, and it deepened when Madame Mendeliev decided to point out his inattention to the rest of the class.

"Mister Agreste…" Madame Mendeliev barked, smirking darkly. "If you're ready to join us again, please head to the board to work on the problem."

* * *

It was an honest relief when his hulking bodyguard darkened the door of his classroom, Principle Damocles in tow.

Although Madame Mendeliev wasn't exactly afraid of much, the sight at least gave her pause.

Hurrying, Adrien stowed away the books in his backpack, rushing out the door.

He didn't know what she had said to escape class, but Marinette tore out after him, as he was halfway down the stairs.

"Adrien, wait!"

Ever obedient, Adrien halted in place, glancing back up the steps as Marinette scrambled down after him.

Her nose wrinkled as she looked past him and spotted his driver and Principle Damocles.

What happened next seemed to have happened only in an instant.

She continued down the staircase, and knocked into him lightly when she clumsily stopped at the step above his.

On pure instinct he'd righted her, grabbing the rail with his free hand.

"Sorry! You forgot your assignment… from Madame Bustier's class?" She tilted her head expectantly, clearly hoping he would catch on.

Adrien blanched, as realization set in. "Oh!"

She leaned forward, gently whispering into his ear, her arm softly resting on his shoulder. "Your driver doesn't know about your… pet, does he?"

Blinking, Adrien could only shake his head.

Marinette made a big show of handing him the paper in her hand. Meanwhile, she opened her purse, letting Plagg slip out of her bag and into his more easily. He didn't see the swap, but he felt the familiar jostle of his Kwami against his thigh.

Just as much as he felt the half glare of disapproval from both men waiting down the stairs.

Adrien didn't dare to dawdle. Automatically, he murmured a quiet "Thanks," wincing as he continued down the stairs.

"Make sure to get some sleep, okay?" She smiled softly, waving after him.

* * *

Exhausted, Adrien slid into the back seat of the sedan and belatedly realized he hadn't gotten the chance to apologize to Marinette - not since his bodyguard had quickly ushered him into the car and headed off to who only knows where.

He dropped his head wearily against the leather headrest, closing his eyes.

Marinette had been amazing.

And amazingly understanding.

In retrospect, Adrien was still a little floored by it all. He was used to seeing Marinette, sweetly clumsy but often capable.

But in the moment, she had acted fast. Not an instant of hesitation when she brushed her fingers on his shoulder, when she usually seemed a little anxious around him.

It had taken her leaning over to whisper into his ear to bringing his head right back into the game.

She was ready to think quickly, even when he could not…

When he had needed a little bit of a hero…

Everyday Ladybug, indeed. Adrien smiled softly, cheeks darkening with the memory.

Marinette had ensured that Plagg made it back to him quietly and without ceremony, wordlessly ensuring that Plagg was with him...in case Chat Noir was needed.

Even Plagg was pleased with her care, if his quiet snooze in his school bag wasn't ample evidence enough.

Not even the vibration of his phone jostled his Kwami from sleep.

Adrien flipped over his phone, carefully extracting it from his bag to see the long list of missed call notifications from Nathalie. Sighing, he watched the endless streets race by, wondering where they were headed now. His driver had missed the usual turn home.

Thankfully, the Gorilla seemed not to suspect anything weird was happening during the Kwami exchange.

The Gorilla didn't speak - not to him at least. But that didn't mean he wouldn't talk to Nathalie or his father if he thought something suspicious was happening at school.

He couldn't afford for any of them to search his bag… or his room. Not without a bunch of questions he was woefully unprepared to answer.

Thankfully, it seemed like his secret was still safe from them. He almost felt a sense of relief, riding through the din of traffic and pedestrian lunch rush.

Adrien exhaled slowly, letting the weight ease a bit from his shoulders and giving his eyes a rest before he would find out whatever he was expected to do next.

It was only after the car pulled to a stop that he remembered that the worst of his luck was probably yet to come.

Somehow, he still needed to tell Ladybug that he'd slipped up, too...


	3. Chapter 3

The flurry of hair and makeup artists and lighting crew circled in the background as Adrien tried to sneak a bite of his salad in between takes.

The leaf of limp lettuce was just as distasteful as the video conference call he was currently on with his Father's assistant.

"You know that your Father was disappointed in the quality of your photos from this morning. That's why he had to call the photographer and all the staff back in." Nathalie's eyes narrowed. "He expects you to do an admirable job this time, Adrien."

Sighing heavily, Adrien murmured an agreement, just narrowly stopping his fingers from raking through his hair in frustration. It would definitely have upset the poor stylist who had just freed him with stern orders to be careful.

"You're tired." Nathalie stated plainly.

"It would be hard not to be," Adrien groused. "I've been running from shoots, to school, to lessons, and fencing... non-stop. It isn't like the teachers have stopped giving more and more homework everyday."

He bit his lip before he was tempted to spill any more of his secrets for the day...

Frowning, Nathalie disappeared from the screen momentarily, her fingers clearly tapping rapidly against the tablet. "I will speak to your Father this afternoon. Finish up your shoot. You'll be chauffeured back to the house directly after so you can rest."

"Alright," Adrien murmured, nodding as his finger hovered over the end call button.

"And Adrien…"

Blinking, he peered back up at the screen.

"Your Father will be travelling soon. I'll arrange for you to eat dinner with him tonight."

A weary smile spread across his lips as he hung up.

At least news of dinner with his Father was a welcome change, even if he was due to travel again soon.

But it couldn't have come on a worse day.

Shoveling a hefty fork full of salad into his mouth, Adrien eyed the clock in the corner of the screen.

This was supposed to be a short scheduled break in the middle of the shoot. But they were already running long... at least a whole hour longer than this morning.

No one had mentioned until just a few minutes ago that they had to re-shoot the entire session to ensure the same lighting for this particular set of ads.

There was no telling how long it might take. At the pace things were going, he wasn't even certain that he'd be able to get back before school ended for the day.

His fingers tightened anxiously around his cell phone… his eyes straying to the duffle bag at his feet, where Plagg was eating lunch and resting up.

Snagging his bag, Adrien made his apologies, excusing himself to the restroom briefly.

It was the only way for him to catch Marinette before she'd probably be heading back to school.

Careful not to mar the carefully applied make up, Adrien opened the door of the nearest empty room he could find, pressing his back to the door as flipped over his phone to dial Marinette. He'd preferred to text, but he couldn't ever really be sure who might be watching.

Not with what they'd need to discuss.

For better or worse, he really needed to make sure Marinette understood what she could and couldn't say.

He hated the thought that she might get hurt on his account.

Or any of this friends, really.

Shaking his head, he focused on the task at hand. He'd only have a few minutes to spare before someone came looking for him.

She'd answered his video call quickly... a soft blush coloring her cheeks, which echoed the rose-colored walls of her room. "Adrien? What's wrong?"

Surprise and worry clashed in Marinette's blue eyes, as her brows knit together in concern.

He winced. "My Father called me in to redo the photoshoot from his morning. I guess I was a little too tired to do it well the first time around..."

A sad smile tugged her lips. She leaned forward slightly in her seat at the table, and her cheek came to rest gently in her free hand. "Well, of course you would be run down… wouldn't you?"

Adrien chuckled ruefully as Plagg dropped curiously onto his shoulder. "Not that I'd ever be able to explain just how busy everything has been."

"So you'll be back to school a little late?"

His shoulders fell. "I might not be back today at all…"

"Oh?" Marinette tried not to be disheartened, but she wore her disappointment pretty plainly on her face.

"Unless… something… happens to delay the shoot further, I'll be resting a little bit and then having dinner with Father."

"Oh…" Her eyes rounded. "Is there a special occasion?"

As they had been friends for a while now, Marinette had at least an inkling that dinner with his Father was a fairly rare thing.

"He's going to go on a business trip soon. At least, that's what I heard from Nathalie…"

"Adrien?" The shout from the photographer's assistant echoed through the door, over the din of other preparations. "Five more minutes!"

"Sorry, Marinette. I have to go now…" Adrien's brow furrowed. "But I'll… call later to talk, okay? Like I promised…?"

"Mmmhmm," Marinette beamed, but her usually soft blue eyes were heavy with the weight of questions begging to be answered. "I'll be waiting…"

* * *

It had taken another few hours to get home. Nathalie even dropped in at the school to pick up his remaining lessons for the day.

He dreaded what he might find in the bag for Physics homework, but at least his father hadn't said anything about it at dinner.

And, at least he'd actually be able to have dinner with his father for the first time in weeks… even if Father had mentioned at length how disappointed he was with the day's photo sessions.

The only thing that had given Gabriel pause was when Adrien had yawned, almost dropping his head into his soup. He dismissed the tired teen, sending him off to his room with the rest of his food. After giving strict orders for Adrien to rest - and to finish the rest of his school work - he told Nathalie to postpone the shoot they had scheduled for later in the week.

* * *

Once he reached the sanctuary of his room, Adrien dropped back onto the bed to try and catch the quickest cat nap he could manage, while Plagg ate his own dinner.

"Her bag smells nice… she definitely keeps cookies in there. Too bad she doesn't also sneak other snacks in there, too."

"Like cheese?" Adrien mumbled, pressing his eyes closed.

Plagg shrugged. "What else?"

Adrien's head shook atop the pillow. "Then she'd have to deal with Chloe's complaints… and Chloe wouldn't be nearly as kind to her as she is to me…"

Anxious thoughts raced through his mind, and he knew he wouldn't get comfortable enough to actually rest. "I need to get over there soon, though. It's already getting late."

Plagg snorted, toting the metal case of Camembert over to the desk with a light thunk. "Didn't you tell her you were just going to call?"

"And I am." Adrien's lips curved slightly. "At her balcony…"

Grumbling between noisy bites, Plagg muttered. "You've got to be kidding. We've both been running around all day."

"Which is why I am resting up now," Adrien assured. "I mean, I've spent the whole day getting interrupted ever since Marinette found out. And this is probably something that's easier to show her in person. She's clever enough that she's bound to have some sort of questions that would be hard to explain without showing her..."

Besides, he couldn't be sure that Nathalie or his Father weren't checking his phone. And Chat Noir was a secret that was a little too big for anyone else to find out about…

Marinette needed to understand what she would now be dealing with. Leaving her without information at this point wasn't exactly a risk he was willing to take.

Akuma usually turned up at the school once a week or so, so the risk to his amazing friend wasn't exactly minimal. But she needed to know that she could reach out to him - or to Ladybug if she was able - if she had even the slightest inkling that anything was wrong.

"And also... I probably need to reach out to Ladybug to let her know my identity was compromised."

Plagg's face fell as he ever-so-slowly nibbled his way through a morsel of Camembert, eyes far off as he mulled the ever-changing Ladybug screensaver.

Adrien frowned when his Kwami's eyes shifted, no longer meeting his own. "Do you think I'm wrong?"

Plagg flinched. "It isn't really that…"

Adrien hopped up from the bed, and began pacing back and forth, arms firmly crossed over his chest. Plagg was being oddly skittish - and even more closed-mouthed about why. "You know I'm right."

Wincing, Plagg eventually conceded. "Then, can we not stay for too long? And keep transformed?" He fainted dramatically against the desktop. "After all the excitement today, I'm famished. I don't know if I can power up again twice tonight…"

"Fine…" Rolling his eyes, Adrien caved to the demands. "I'll try to keep the visit short. Besides, we'll need to find Ladybug, too."

Plagg grumbled loudly at that.

Stopping at the window, Adrien pressed his forehead against a pane of cool glass, surreptitiously patting his pocket to check on the spare wedge of cheese he had stashed away.

As much as Plagg might protest, if Marinette needed him to detransform so she could understand the limits of what he could do to keep her safe, Adrien knew he would do so easily.

He owed it to his friend, after all.

But if Ladybug even hinted that she wanted him to detransform... to know the information that was exposed and already a risk for them both...

Well, he'd do it for her in a heartbeat.


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette's brows furrowed, tapping the pencil softly on her notebook. She was hunched over a set of chemistry problems that was nearly as confounding as the whole mess she'd woken up to today.

Honestly, it was still a little hard to focus. It had been hard, all day.

Sighing, Marinette dropped her head down against the desk, glad to have changed into pajamas after the surprisingly stressful day. She felt like she'd spent most of the morning half awed, staring at the back of a head that was even more familiar then she'd ever realized.

She'd been composed enough to fool most of the class - and a few teachers at least. Of course, it was Alya who had noticed her zoning out... so she subtly snapped a photo of her notes and sent it to Marinette between classes.

Knowing who Chat really was had only managed to complicate everything: her heart was already lost to his civilian side… leaving her very much at a loss for what to do now that Chat was also Adrien.

She lifted her head back up to mull the far easier problems on the page.

She was tempted to call Alya, to pull her muddled mind away from mess she'd been dealing with all day… but she wasn't quite sure when Adrien might contact her.

"Marinette…" Tikki chided, ruffling one of her chosen's pigtails as she hovered over a shoulder. "You'll never get your work done tonight if you can't focus."

She propped her head atop crossed arms on the desk. "I know..." She grumbled faintly, then lifted her chin to gaze up at the little god.

"Tikki? Is this why you didn't want us both to know?"

Tikki pressed her lips into a thin line. "Knowing always complicates things. It is far easier at the start to stay in the dark. You and Chat were already joined by a common purpose."

Tikki chuckled. "Could you imagine yourself going toe to toe with Stormy Weather right after Adrien decided to show you how sweet he could be? Could you have let Chat Noir be the shield that Paris needed him to be? How would you have functioned when Timebreaker erased him from existence simply to turn back her own clock…?"

Marinette balanced her pencil, spinning it between her fingers, trying to force far too many close calls from her mind. "So, you're saying it's good that I actually met Chat in person first - if only by the tiniest bit."

Tikki nodded. "It allowed you to be more level-headed when everyone needed your help to stay safe. It enabled you to become stronger and braver - both on your own, and with Chat Noir's encouragement."

Groaning, Marinette pressed her forehead to the desk.

"Exactly."

She dropped her pencil, knowing it wasn't going to do her much good at the moment. She pushed herself away from the desk, and swiveled her chair to face Tikki.

"Marinette, you might have struggled with the initial decision to wear the mask. But no one else aside from Chat Noir knows how hard that was for you. And somewhere along the way, you impressed that boy so much that he's been a smitten kitten for nearly the whole time you've been working together."

"Deny it all you want, but you and I both know you've seen the proof of that in photo after photo on the Ladyblog."

"But he's been impressed with Ladybug..."

"Marinette, there can't even be Ladybug without you." Tikki huffed, flitting back and forth through the air in front of Marinette's face. "Plagg and I - we can only give you two the power to shield yourself, and to fight on. But we can't give you the courage to stand up in the first place. We can't compel you to save Paris— to save one another— over and over again. That's been the both of you, all along."

Nibbling at her lip, Marinette spun back around in her chair.

For this whole time, she'd loved Chat, almost like the sibling she'd never had. He was ridiculous and sweet, charming and cheesy. When he pushed, she pushed right back, giving just as good as she got... they had an easy and carefree rapport.

Of course it would be her partner's own civilian side who had the exact opposite effect on her. Adrien set her pulse racing with the smallest, sweetest gestures, dividing her heart - and her own affections - between who she had been so sure were two different people.

And now, she knew that she had never needed to divide them... knew there was so much more hiding behind Chat Noir's mask than she'd ever suspected.

He'd always been a little braver in voicing his feelings, but then, she felt a bit braver behind the mask too...

"But I don't think it's fair of me to not tell him, Tikki..."

"Secrets are hard, Marinette." The red Kwami patted Marinette on the cheek, her tiny sad smile occupying most of her face. "You know that shielding him from this will help keep him safer— and I know you well enough to know you want that." Tikki sighed. "But boys are always a little slower… a little slower to notice their own feelings, and to come to terms with them."

"You already trust Chat Noir. And you know just how clever Adrien can be. Trust that he can puzzle it out - that he will do so… when the time is right."

Marinette grew quiet, pacing her room.

As annoyed as she'd been by the occasional ferocity of Chat's feelings, there was no doubt that he'd been oddly loyal to Ladybug... that was reason enough to believe in him and his capability. Especially when he'd made a point to let her down gently as Chat Noir during her bungled identity cover-up. "Confessing" that she had feelings for Chat Noir has been a spectacular failure.

She'd been more than a little impressed with Chat Noir when he'd been honest with his rejection, and had reaffirmed his feelings for Ladybug. And in all of that he - Adrien, she reminded herself - had reassured her how much he did like her civilian self.

Even if that had been after assuring her (and her parents) that he was quite the catch...

Thankfully, he still didn't know that she was the girl behind the mask - she'd dodged that near brush with a reveal a little too effectively for her own good. And her Father's…

Frowning, Marinette dropped back into her chair wondering why he hadn't contacted her yet. It wasn't anything new - not for Adrien to have a sudden photoshoot. But, as well as she thought she knew Adrien - she knew she knew her kitty better.

He would never be able to stand letting Ladybug down. And she already could see him worried about it.

"You haven't gotten any messages from Chat, have you?"

Tikki shook her head, nibbling on another cookie. "Nothing yet…"

Marinette's thoughts steamrolled one after another, anxiously trying to cement Chat and Adrien as one in her mind.

Tikki was partially to blame for this; though to be fair, providing Marinette with a "puzzle" to think about was a good way to distract her from outright panic. Right now, she was thinking about Adrien's safety, and keeping his identity hidden.

Just how many times was Adrien's excuse just a ruse to get away as Chat Noir? Obviously he showed up whenever an Akuma attacked.

But he was certainly gone plenty of other times… had all of them been photo sessions?

Now, she was even more tempted to call Alya and ask. Her friend would know for sure when a shoot was actually planned in advance or not… or would be able to find out quickly from Nino. But that would come with its own set of questions.

Of course… she could technically ask Adrien now…

If her phone would ever ring, that is.

But that would involve actually talking to him.

Marinette bit her lip, pacing the floorboards once again. She'd done well in the middle of the crisis itself… but now that the reality was sinking in - without distractions - she felt the edge of panic welling in her stomach.

"Marinette." Tikki admonished, recognizing at once the source of Marinette's anxiousness . "It should be easy enough for you to call him now, right? You've wanted to spend time with Adrien without worrying. This can only be a good thing!"

Her hand slipped over her stomach to quiet the rise of butterflies at the sheer thought.

For better or worse, her new knowledge didn't change the fact that she had been harboring quite the crush on her Kitty all along, even as much as she'd been blithely able to deny it in the past. "You know he's going to be impossible to deal with once he finds out I'm Ladybug."

Tikki just grinned. "You didn't mean to say impawsible?"

Shooting her Kwami a dirty look, Marinette dragged her hands into her pigtails.

"If you think about it, the only problem is that you have been pushing Adrien away… just as much as you've been hoping he'd come closer…" Tikki shook her head, sighing heavily. "But you know as well as I, that boy has been just as bad…"

"That's not what I mean, Tikki." Her brows furrowed, puzzled. "I mean, you are right. But that's not what has me worried."

"Then what?"

Marinette's eyes slid closed, her arms closing over her chest. "I mean that as Chat Noir, Adrien's already seen me at my worst."

Tikki eyes blinked, owlishly. "And? He hadn't exactly been running away from you then, had he?" Her grin only widened. "Besides, it means you've seen him at his less-than-perfect, too. Adrien is far more human, far more flawed, than you seemed to think. And isn't that okay?"

Stunned, Marinette gaped at that.

"Isn't that better to know him for who he is, and like him for all of it? To know that you both keep trying to be better for one another..."

Helplessly, Marinette simply nodded as Tikki pushed the phone closer to her chosen.

"I'll keep this as quiet as I can - for now."

"That's all I can ask." Tikki beamed with pride. "You know, Adrien might have some luck on his side after all. After all, there is no one else in Paris his secret would be safer with..."


	5. Chapter 5

A thunderous clatter outside made Marinette gawk up at her ceiling, looking up from her phone as she'd spent the past ten minutes psyching herself up to call. She didn't remember anything about a storm expected for tonight.

When she glanced back down, there was no sign of her Kwami.

A quick succession of taps against the window above her loft bed forced her gaze up again, to her skylight, while she blanched.

She had been expecting him to call… just not to physically call on her, through her balcony.

He was grinning widely as she popped the window open with a push.

The night air hit her, and she shivered, eyes wide at the sight of Chat Noir's Cheshire smile as he gazed down at her. She absently wondered how long he had been there before making himself known so she would invite him in. The unspoken question, may I come in? hung in the air between them.

Blinking, Marinette nodded absently to show her assent, and slowly crept back down her ladder. She left the hatch open behind her in invitation.

He hurried inside, closing the window behind him.

If possible, she seemed to pale even more as she grabbed the comforter from her bed to wind up around her shoulders against the chill.

It was hard not to freak out a bit. Despite her recent discussion with Tikki, she still wasn't entirely used to the idea - and she was only just starting to wrap her head around the ramifications of her crush and partner being one and the same person. But Chat's - Adrien's - sudden appearance upset the precarious balance she'd been working on. Dazed, she scurried about, trying to straighten up her room a little bit. "Sorry, I wasn't exactly expecting company..."

"Oh, no, I'm sorry," Flinching, Chat apologized. He claws grazed the edge of the ladder and he paused, clearly unsure whether he should continue down. "I should have checked in with you first, before heading over. I guess I could go back home if you'd like. It just seemed easier to talk with you in person, especially as we kept getting interrupted earlier."

She tilted her head at that, tugging the comforter closer as she peered up at him. Coming here really was likely the best option, she quickly decided. She'd always known (from fairly early on) that Chat Noir would be incredibly responsible in keeping his secret, and this decision had only confirmed that in her mind. A slow, shaky smile curved her lips. "I-it's fine, Adrien…"

"Good!" He leapt down onto the floor with feline grace, lifting the tiny bag she hadn't noticed he'd been holding into view. "Because I come bearing gifts."

Gifts?" Marinette arched a brow. "You really didn't need to do that…"

"Okay, maybe "gift" isn't the right word..." Chat grinned ruefully. "However, it's something that would be really helpful, in a pinch."

"Oh?"

"Plagg tends to be really, really picky about his food when he needs to recharge,' Chat began as Marinette peered into the bag he'd handed to her. "... And keeping him stocked with Camembert tends to be a little inconvenient even in the best of times…"

"So this is Kwami-food…?"

Chat nodded, as she removed the wheel of cheese from the bag.

"I guess I can keep some on hand in case you ever need it." Her lips pressed into a thin line as she mulled it over. "Mom isn't exactly a fan of the stuff, so it wouldn't make it into dinner."

He glanced around the room, as she turned away from him to set the small wheel of Camembert on her desk. "You were working on our homework?"

"Trying to," She murmured. "But, it has been a little hard to focus today, and I think I missed a key part of the lecture…"

"I can help out a bit, if you need…"

She gave him a shy smile, before sliding into her desk chair and scanning through her notes to puzzle out what to ask first.

She should have suspected trouble the moment her partner had gone quiet…

"I have to say, I'm a big fan of the decor." he said playfully.

Her brows furrowed as she looked up to follow his gaze - to one of the many pictures of himself she still had up around her room. He smirked over at her, green eyes glowing with mischief...

Wide eyed, she muffled a shriek, sprinting to the wall to start yanking them down one by one.

It would have been a lot more effective with Tikki's help… and without Adrien in the room… and without the painfully smug grin on his face.

His grin slipped as he took in her panic. "Sorry, Marinette. I guess "being Chat" makes it easy to forget that you know me on both sides of the mask." Contrite, Chat spun around, staring down at the trap door that lead out of her room and down to the kitchen. "I'll tone it down a bit… I just, kind of need to get used to this..."

"Chat… Adrien." Marinette sighed and her shoulders slumped. Halting the mad scramble to pull every picture off of her walls, she tentatively peered back over one shoulder. "You're not the only one who will have to get used to all this. But please believe me when I say that I just want you to be yourself… whoever that really is."

Turning back, he smiled warmly. His gaze locked with hers, slitted pupils wide. "I haven't really been in here since Jagged's reality show anyways." He chuckled. "But I did notice a shoot or two that I've done since then."

Marinette arched a brow, crossing her arms over her chest. The familiar banter - and the tiniest bit of irritation - were far more grounding than the conversations she'd been having with Tikki all evening. "Ah! Is that why you were being so sassy about it."

Grinning, he leaned in, conspiratorially. "Well you are a fan, right?"

Marinette snorted. "I am not answering that. Your billboards are all over town! Doesn't that make your ego big enough already?"

"Purrhaps. He preened... crooked grin slanted at her. "But it really does make this cat curious: Who would you say is cooler, after all? Chat Noir or Adrien Agreste?"

She rolled her eyes, snagging more photos off the wall. "Neither!"

Chat pouted. It wasn't entirely fair how cute she found it.

Marinette bit her lip, stacking the pictures she'd collected into a neat pile. "Alya sneaks in here often enough. She's put up more than a few pictures herself, when she thought I wouldn't notice."

He chuckled, stretching his arms around the baton and displaying a good deal of lithe feline grace. "And yet, you didn't take them down," he teased.

She shifted her face away, so Chat definitely couldn't see it. "I didn't… really mind them."

"Ah, but you're missing an all important picture, aren't you?"

Marinette gaped back at him. "There's a photoshoot I-they've missed?"

His grin only widened. Snagging her cellphone from the desk, Chat dropped it carefully into her hands before hugging one arm around her shoulder. "It hasn't started yet…"

Marinette was all too aware of the blush that swept across her face when she caught on to his intention. He unabashedly pressed his cheek to hers, cuddled up against her side, photobombing into the selfie frame with an uneven grin.

It was an overdose of Adrien she'd never had to process before… and even with as hot as her cheeks were, she couldn't quite bring herself to pull away from him.

There was something about Chat Noir that always made her feel warm and safe. Luckily for her, he was usually quick to drop a pun - or stick a whole foot in his mouth - sending her head shaking a safer, saner distance away…

Once she snapped a few photos, Chat stepped away, as if finally sensing the potential for an awkward situation. She could see him weighing his options, indecision plain on his face, before he closed his eyes and let the green sparks of magic spiral free.

"You know there's no way I'm going to be able to put this up anywhere, right?" Marinette blew out a sharp breath, plugging her phone into her computer to directly download the file onto it. "As soon as Alya got a whiff of it, I'd get twenty questions asking why half of Paris's superhero duo was in my room, posing for selfies with me…"

Adrien simply smirked wider, Chat's uneven grin canting his lips. "I was thinking more about making sure your collection was complete."

As she offloaded the pictures, Marinette focused on the screen, hoping she wouldn't add to the spilled secrets of today.

Plagg grumbled, watching their interaction… eyes narrowing as he lingered close to Adrien's ear.

Finally acknowledging he was there, Marinette grinned, sliding the Camembert across her desk and stretching as she stood up.

Adrien's brows rose in question. "Hmm?"

"With as tired as you both were, he's got to be hungry, right?" She spoke as if the little God was impervious to their conversation, and Plagg's eyes grew narrower still.

Adrien smiled. "That's probably it…"

She beamed, giving Adrien a moment alone with his Kwami. "I'll just grab some snacks and be right back up."

* * *

She didn't dare linger downstairs for long, rifling through the refrigerator for a bit of cheese and nabbing some fruit from the counter.

But she was puzzled, and took a little longer than she needed so she could ponder the odd pair currently hiding upstairs in her room. For the first time, she allowed herself to think how the combination of these two entities had resulted in her punning partner.

Adrien had to have been as much a match to Plagg as she was to Tikki. Tikki had helped Marinette find confidence in herself, bolstering her creativity and her faith in her abilities… her efforts to try, and not be afraid to take chances or make mistakes.

Chat Noir would have her back, after all.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. So, it stood to reason that Plagg must be offering Adrien something he needed too...

She'd met Plagg when Adrien had been immobilized by Style Queen. While she now knew that Plagg had lied to her that day, she couldn't fault him. His lie had kept Chat's identity safe at the time, even if it hadn't given her the best impression of Chat… A cheeky smile crept to her face as she considered "lying" was probably not the type of attribute a hero would inherit from their Kwami.

Recalling the day, she had seen the embodiment of Chat's flaws - his occasional selfishness and recklessness - in the tiny Kwami. But she also saw the impulsive bravery… and caught a glimpse of tight reins barely shackling in his destructive potential.

She could definitely spot those same qualities in Chat's persona. Maybe these parts were Plagg's personality shining through Chat, instead of Adrien's…?

Or, maybe Plagg had just offered Adrien some sort of break and acted through him - as Chat. Tikki bestowed a lot of her powers and abilities to Ladybug, but she felt that Tikki would always allow Marinette to be the one in control. Maybe it was different for her partner?

She thought about Chat's fursonality. There was no doubt that her kitty was a pun-loving dork, but that image didn't exactly jive with the press-perfect image Gabriel himself seemed to have imprinted upon his son. With Gabriel, image seemed to be everything, and few people knew just how little Adrien's father let him leave the solitary gilded cage he'd been locked in. She thought - not for the first time - how alone he seemed to be.

Balancing the plate of snacks and two glasses carefully, Marinette slowly scaled the steps, glad that Adrien hadn't actually been all alone this whole time.

* * *

"I'll bring you a bit more at school tomorrow," Adrien confided, glancing up as he leaned over her notebook, his palms pressing against the desk. "Plagg can eat through three of those wheels on a normal day."

Plagg's eyes narrowed, speeding over to cuddle up on Marinette's lap almost as soon as she sat back down in her desk chair.

She tilted her head to watch Adrien, as he scanned her homework for the key step she was missing.

"Your pets are nearly as good as Ladybug's," Plagg smirked, quietly peering up at Marinette as she stroked the fur behind his ears.

Marinette bit her tongue - glancing over at Adrien at her desk, where he had busied himself with jotting down a few helpful tips that would get her through the night's assignment.

Adrien appeared blissfully ignorant to Plagg's not-so-subtle hint.

But - interestingly - stewing at her desk, Adrien glared down, not at all indifferent to the attention she was paying to his Kwami.

Marinette could only chuckle at the absolute absurdity, as her nails carefully skritched at Plagg's ears, spinning absently in her desk chair with Plagg cuddled into a tiny, furry ball on her lap. Was Adrien actually jealous?

Her typically sharp observational senses were now keen, taking in even the slightest detail as his hair fell forward, far messier in this late hour than she was used to seeing.

His hair was so disconcertingly different than the impeccably styled layers he usually sported - another aspect of the image Gabriel had been crafting, she assumed. But she approved of the carefree way his hair framed his face, in chunks. It suited Chat's image all too well, and if she hadn't noticed any similarities between the "two boys", well… it would only help to keep Adrien safe.

The overlap was far easier for her to see, especially now that slight irritation and sheer determined focus broadcasted plainly on his face. Definitely very Chat like. And she'd never be able to unsee his profile as Chat's, now - even with the mask entirely gone.

Time had tempered her disbelief somewhat, but the whole notion of AdriChat - Chatdrien? - still felt a little odd and jarring at some very primal level… maybe even a little wrong? But it also felt true, and so right. She could deny her thoughts or feelings as much as she wanted, but that wouldn't rid her of the solid blush that still burned brightly on her face. She knew exactly how good her crush looked, decked out in leather armor.

Her fingers itched to slip back over to her computer and rid herself of the anxiety in having photos that were just begging for Alya to find them. She was torn between a sharp desire to delete the incriminating pictures that were burning a hole in her hard drive, and slipping them back onto her phone so she could sigh over them before she'd finally fall asleep tonight.

She shook her head as Plagg half-yowled, looking betrayed. "Sorry," she whispered down to Plagg in apology, as her nails had grazed too close to a sensitive ear.

Adrien looked over, scribbling down a tip for her on one of the pink post-it notes at her desk.

"So," Marinette grimaced, trying to distract herself. "How did you ever end up as a superhero?"

Grinning, Adrien spilled out the tale, dripping with details of his questionable heroics of the first day on the job… and finding himself wholly, and literally bound to help his partner. It wasn't long before he was waxing poetic about the polka-dotted heroine he worked with. He told Marinette that she had seemed anxious at first, but then brazened it out in a way that even he had trouble with. And how if she hadn't stuck with it, Paris would never have even survived that first attack.

It shocked her to hear just how much she had been impressing him ever since… stubborn flaws and all.

Breathless, she sat gaping, taking every detail in. She had known her partner was smitten - he had clearly told her as much twice over - but she really hadn't had a clue just how much.

Marinette blinked, absently noting how patient Plagg was being with her, though his eyes had narrowed and his ears drooped. She was sure he could have absolutely yelped out more than a few more times due to her negligent petting.

Instead he seemed to be silently begging her to share her secrets. Exactly what Tikki had cautioned her against...

But just like Chat Noir, the thought of doing it was growing on her...

* * *

He offered a few helpful tips that would get her through the night.

He'd been entirely encouraging as he walked her through the chemistry assignment, seamlessly switching from one problem - to their more pressing one - once the schoolwork was completed. Adrien explained the necessity of her keeping everything secret.

With a hint of a smile on her face, she nodded approvingly, even if she couldn't adequately express just how much she approved aloud to him, just yet…

"I wouldn't dare let Ladybug down." Adrien assured, his eyes suddenly serious. "And I promise to do everything I can to help keep you and your parent's safe."

Marinette simply nodded. She didn't really trust herself to speak. Not right now… not knowing the things she knew...

When she adamantly stayed mum, Plagg just rolled his eyes, yawning toothily as he lowered his tiny head.

Adrien echoed the action, yawning widely - the slightly extended tips of his canine teeth peeking out from behind his lips.

Marinette stood up, cradling Plagg in her arms, and handing him back over to Adrien. "You should call Ladybug. If she has any worries, she can come over and talk to me about them directly. After all, she already knows where I live…"

Adrien's eyes widened, beaming as he posed his way through his transformation.

Biting her lip was all Marinette could do to not bark out a laugh in startled amusement.

"You would do that for me?" Relief battled the exhaustion on Chat's face - and won.

Marinette just shrugged, her humor softening. "It would probably reassure her to know for sure, right? I mean, I know you didn't intend for your secret to get out, and I know how much that secrecy worries her… what with the Ladyblog and all…" She trailed off.

As crazy as this whole day had been, nothing had prepared her for Chat Noir leaning down into a drowsy, half-relieved hug.

As her nose was pressed against the column of his neck by the hug, Marinette was struck by his scent, puzzling over why it was so affecting as she savored the warmth.

He'd pulled away, all too soon. "Goodnight, Princess." He chuckled, folding over into an exaggerated bow in echo of her first meeting (that he knew of…) with Chat.

She'd giggled at his absurdity, winking as he palmed his baton, and half-propelled himself up the ladder to open her skylight window. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Marinette shook her head, affection warming her smile as she watched her partner carefully close her window and bound off into the night.

She hadn't realized just how much she'd taken his scent - Camembert heavy as it was for reasons now all too clear - as a source of strength and comfort.

She didn't dare even speak until she was sure he had to be on the rooftops several blocks away. "You know, Tikki, I knew he was cheesy. I just didn't realize how much."

"Marinette," chided Tikki, peering up over her chosen's shoulder. "He's very sweet. You know that all too well."

Marinette nodded. "But he's also already being overprotective. He's going to get us both in trouble if I'm not careful."


	6. Chapter 6

Plagg spiraled out of the transformation again as Adrien touched back down in his room.

It felt like forever since he'd been curled up under the covers - which was something, considering he was an ancient God. He was slightly irritated for having been forced out so early (and so often) the night before.

He wanted nothing more than to settle in for a nap. As Adrien ambled over to the bathroom, Plagg darted directly for the pile of pillows. As tempted as he was to slump down into the trash can and dream to the heady aroma of Camembert, he was bone tired and needed a well-earned cat nap.

This day had been far more exhausting than most. He couldn't see her, but he could feel Tikki's gaze on him the whole time. It had raised his hackles…

It hadn't been his fault that one of the other troublesome blondes in his life had decided to wreak havoc on his very sensitive nose… he shuddered at the Pine-scented memory.

The bad luck that had followed?

Well, that might have been on him...

Plagg sighed, slumping his head onto the pillow. He didn't dare reveal Marinette's identity - not while the threat persisted… and never anywhere that Tikki might be close. But, he certainly wasn't above giving the girl in question a little nudge in the right direction…

His eyes had barely slipped closed when darkness fell over the room. His ear perked when he heard the soft rustle of covers and the creaking dip of the bed.

The silence was short lived, and it wasn't long before curiosity finally got to the kid. "Why were you being so grumpy about me de-transforming, if you were just going to sit there and be petted the whole time?

One glowing, green eye sparkled as Plagg slipped it open. "What would you prefer to have happened? She couldn't exactly pet you, now could she…?"

Adrien blushed, scrubbing his face with his hands. His grumbled denials had come only a little too late for Plagg to do anything but grin smugly.

"You could do so much worse, you know..."

"Huh?" Adrien frowned, thoroughly confused. "Than Marinette?"

Plagg nodded. Sometimes Adrien could be so clever. He just wished this was one of those times…

The kid just groaned, rolling over towards him. "Plagg, you know better than anyone that I'm in love with Ladybug!"

Stifling the urge to careen across the room and cosh his head into a Kwami-shaped dent in his tiny, metal trash can, Plagg scoffed, floating up to stare his chosen down. "That girl likes you on **both **sides of the mask, kid. Do you even know how rare that is?"

Adrien blinked, taken aback at his sudden ferocity.

"In a thousand some-odd years of working with holders… all I can tell you is that it doesn't happen often…"

Plagg sneered, more fully embracing his little-shit chess mode. "Your Lady has made it clear time after time that your more heroic side is a trusted ally only. The entirety of Paris seems enamored with the face your Father likes to plaster across the skies of Paris. But you're a whole lot more than just that face..."

Adrien fussed at that, tugging the covers up to his chin and turning away.

"Kid, I'm not saying this to be mean. But you have to face facts." Plagg ruffled his hair. "Maybe it's time to move on…"

"When I'm stuck in limbo, waiting for a chosen to be selected - for sometimes decades on end - there is no cheese. I miss it, terribly." Plagg curled up, his fur abutting against the blonde halo of hair on the pillow. "Why do you think I savor every morsel and bit now?"

"Because you miss it?" Adrien mused aloud.

"Mmhmm." Plagg intoned. "I might get to see all the other Kwami - well, most of them, anyways - but it isn't ever the same as my lovely, lovely cheese…"

Adrien chuckled at that.

It got quiet, but Plagg could easily hear the gears turning in his chosen's head. "So you think, because we're so close, Ladybug isn't really getting the chance to miss me?"

Plagg exhaled a breath of relief. "You've been at each other's side almost every day. When would either of you have had the time to?"

Adrien's breathing evened out, slowing down little by little.

Grinning, Plagg curled up into a ball to slumber.

"Plagg?"

"Hmm?" The Kwami didn't budge, voice rumbling softly.

"You think Ladybug will notice if I make a little extra effort to keep Marinette safe?"

Plagg just snorted, stubbornly keeping his eyes closed.

"Well, she's sure to be happy you're taking it all seriously."

* * *

Adrien headed into school early. He had been up at first light, finishing off the last of his homework while he ate breakfast.

Plagg had slept in.

Adrien might quibble with most of what Plagg had to say, but he had to admit, Marinette was more than a friend - at least in the way that Plagg mentioned. She liked him well enough - as a hero - that she'd managed to be a friend to him when he'd really needed it most.

Whereas Ladybug had left him out in the cold… to pine after some guy who obviously didn't appreciate her.

Maybe he couldn't exactly return the crush she'd had on Chat Noir, but he definitely had no small amount of admiration for her, and the way she handled things.

Like the lengths she'd already gone to in keeping this big secret safe.

Besides, outside of Plagg - and his Lady, of course - she was one of the very few people he could truly rely on and talk to. He could tell Nino a lot. But he just wouldn't understand when it came to the superhero stuff. No, it wouldn't be a hardship to stick close to Marinette and supply a little extra effort to ensure she stayed safe.

* * *

Marinette had a plan.

She was good at them, and they had saved her many times over on either side of her red, spotted mask.

But what exactly was she supposed to do when Adrien lingered this close?

He was beaming back at her while they waited for class to start… winking, and canting such a Chat-like smile that the scene had caused her to drop her bag onto the ground clumsily. Her books and notes were promptly spilled out across the floor.

How was she supposed to keep his secret safe if he kept channeling his Chat-side for the entire class to see?

He'd been chivalry-incarnate in his white button down and jeans, even going as far to carry her bag, after he'd helped to pick everything up.

Marinette was still kind of a flirting disaster… but she'd at least gotten much better around him as Adrien, when he wasn't bent on inspiring heart attacks.

* * *

After a nerve wracking class, Marinette grimaced as Alya dragged her off into the bathroom before they could get to their next one. "Girl, what's going on with you and Adrien?"

Marinette winced, giggling airily as she looked in the mirror. "Not sure what you mean?"

Alya arched a suspicious brow at that. "Oh, sure. You mean you didn't notice that Adrien is definitely paying you a lot of extra attention today?"

Marinette shrugged, far more adept at keeping the full truth from her best friend. "He was just happy that I helped him out yesterday."

"Marinette, it was just help with his pet." Alya's arms crossed firmly over her chest, tapping a toe in a no nonsense pose she'd surely perfected with her little sisters. "So why is that boy looking at you like you hung the moon?"

Marinette simply blinked in response. She bit her lip, straightening her bangs in the mirror while strategically avoiding Alya's eyes, as the deepest blush burned right to the tips of her ears. "I must just be lucky, I guess…"

* * *

Not even two hours later, Marinette wasn't entirely sure that lucky was quite the right word for today.

They hadn't even made it to lunch before the first Akuma of the day had appeared.

Adrien was every bit as diligent as she'd expected in keeping her safe. He'd grabbed her hand, tugging her as far away from the action as he could manage before sneaking off to transform and fight.

Not that it was really helpful, considering she needed to get close to the Akuma in order to defeat it, purify it, and reverse the destruction to their city.

Of course, she hadn't exactly done herself any favors when she'd snuck out of hiding a little too soon. Chat had spotted her hurrying in the direction of the Akuma.

He'd scowled back at her before rushing off, head-long into danger.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. She'd been happy enough in that moment, since he'd left her alone… but honestly, she should have known it would only cause her more trouble.

At least that Akuma had gone down without much of a fuss…

* * *

When the second Akuma appeared - and all of the phones went on high alert - Adrien had grabbed her hand, dashing off to usher her safely into a broom closet.

She'd fretted when he'd pressed her back into the relative safety of the closet, and he only briefly stopped what he was doing when she anxiously pushed at the still slightly open door.

"Stay here. Please."

He'd been so insistent that she'd be safest there… the anxious worry all too plain on his face.

Marinette massaged her temples. At least this Akuma appeared to be on the move and unlikely to circle back to the school.

Tikki needed to phase out and confirm the coast was clear so she could escape, and Chat - Adrien - already had the Akuma on the ropes by the time she'd dropped in. She'd even had her Lucky Charm at the ready, assessing the situation as he'd called.

* * *

By evening, a third Akuma had appeared, and Marinette was starting to curse Hawkmoth's single-minded determination to exhaust her into slipping up.

She'd been down in the bakery at the time, but rushed out towards the park where the Akuma had formed.

Adrien had already been there, knocked back by the shock wave.

She'd seen him limping, and had gone running towards him just in time to see the rush of green light diffused from behind a tree.

Fully transformed, Chat spotted her. Swooping her up without a moment's notice, he carried her off to the relative safety of her balcony as the Akuma drew near.

She rolled her eyes as he released his hold and her toes made contact with the floor. Frustration with Chat Noir wasn't exactly anything new. But with Adrien? The latter was a bit more of a novelty for her. Despite the irritation, she still felt her heart flip with Adrien - Chat, she reminded herself again - so close...

If she didn't already know better, she was sure the sound of her heart beating would give her feelings for him away. But, he was just so spectacularly dense. It wasn't even that long ago that he had been on this same rooftop with her, obliviously buying into her fib about being "just-a-fan".

With as well as the Miraculous magic had held up over time, she really wasn't surprised that he hadn't seen through the glamour to know it had been her beside him the entire time. Technically, she hadn't even seen through it, and she had been watching him so closely…

He'd been so focused on getting her away safely that she was beginning to question if she'd really seen him limping. But he winced after setting her down, and then gave her a saucy grin to try and cover it. Her irritation returned a hundred fold, and she wondered, not for the first time, how satisfying it would be to throttle her mangy alley cat.

Taking on Hawkmoth recently had only proven that she really needed Chat Noir - how much she needed Adrien. And honestly, it wasn't like she could deny the strong feelings she had developed for the boy - on either side of his masks. So throttling him was not her best idea, no matter how much she was tempted...

Her fingers bit into the rail as she watched him pole-vault away over the rooftops, slower than usual, and hesitant to put weight on his injured foot.

And now, thanks to his chivalry, she was only farther off from the Akuma. She'd have to wait for him to be out of sight so she could follow him and have his back.

Marinette slammed her eyes shut. The last thing they needed right now was to fend off a powerful Akuma with Chat Noir at a disadvantage. They had been down that road before… it hadn't exactly gone well for them when they'd faced off with Riposte.

At least this Akuma wasn't likely to pose nearly as much of a strategically offensive challenge as Kagami had.

She shook her head, clearing it so she could be ready to move - and fast.

Him being injured was the worst.

Especially because this could have been prevented, very easily. All with the one simple truth that he'd not picked up on...

Tikki hovered up, lingering beside her shoulder. "Are you ready, Marinette?"

Marinette just nodded, not completely trusting herself to speak, except to call out her transformation.

* * *

Ladybug was a young woman on a mission. She flew across Paris, barely wasting her momentum by letting her swing back-pedal.

Chat Noir would need every spare second, after all.

There was no telling just how physical this Akuma would be… and no telling if Adrien would get enough of a breather to stay steady on his feet. Not while he was already injured.

When she finally could see him facing off with the giant, golden behemoth, he was nearly wavering on his feet, slow to recover from the most recent onslaught. She saw him glance over his shoulder to confirm the civilians behind him had rushed away to safety.

Setting her jaw, she propelled herself forward, diving onto the ground to roll him out of the way of another direct hit just before the Akuma could collide with them both. One arm was wrapped around his back to pull him close, while the other cradled the back of his head to protect him… her face was buried in his neck as they tumbled.

The oddity of his reveal had already made her hyper-aware of him, and she slowly filed away all the bits and pieces he was unknowingly revealing, for later... puzzled at just how she could have missed a clue as obvious as the way he smelled.

She hadn't noticed his subtler scents, like the one from his soap… not with the other, far heavier scents he was wrapped in. But now that she was up close and personal with him as Ladybug, the smell of him was permeating her mind as well as her nose.

When Chat had whisked Marinette off to safety mere minutes before, she'd noticed just a hint of the seasoned aroma of leather as he lingered close. His suit wasn't quite leather, but it still fit like a second skin and had a bit of the musty, old leather-like smell she'd long associated with leather jackets like her Nonna Gina wore.

She recognized that a bit of that smell lingered on Plagg, too.

It was almost as if when the glamour had dropped, so too had the muting effect on her own senses.

And now? Her awareness was surely ten times stronger as Ladybug. She'd only been tangentially aware before, but her hair - and the ribbons laced in it - fluttered in the wind, acting almost as psuedo-antennae. She realized it was helping her to place her partner - sense him - even when she hadn't spotted him yet.

Ladybug winced internally at the pun… they really had spent a little too much time together, lately… "Fancy meeting you like this, Mi'Lady!" he grinned up at her, as she stood so he could have help back up to his feet. "If I didn't know better, I'd wager this was something you cooked up to have the pleasure of meeting with me for the third time today." If only he really knew how close they had been all day...

"Ha ha, Chat," she feigned a grumble as she took notice that the Akuma was narrowing its sights on them once more.

Blinking away her errant thoughts, Ladybug struggled to move more quickly. All too aware now that she was a little too focused on Chat Noir - Adrien!, her mind corrected emphatically - she wove an arm underneath his for support. She finally helped him to his feet and she felt - rather than saw- the Akuma turn about, gearing up for another pass.

Her antennae ribbons were definitely more sensitive. Like a true pair of eyes at the back of her head, she realized she could watch her own back. It was usually far more effective to have Chat do that for her while she focused on getting them three steps ahead, but this would be a great advantage for them.

Well, it should be an advantage… could be… if it weren't that her senses were inexplicably muddled. Why did she feel the need to keep leaning in towards him? It seemed to be bordering on instinct…

Breathlessly, she lashed her yo-yo out, ready to spool them both up into the air and out of harm's way.

Chat was practically in sync, propelling their bodies rapidly into the air with his baton just as her yo-yo snagged a ledge to yank them away. The baton retracted safely to them before the Akuma could even get close…

"I don't really like his range," Ladybug decided.

Her eyes chased the clawed glove that still lingered on her shoulder once she'd set them gently down on the safety of the closest rooftop. How had she ever missed that little connection?

That awkward little press of his hand against the back of his neck. Or the softness in his cat-like eyes and the way he'd tilted his neck towards her.

"Can't say I'm much of a fan myself." Chat Noir frowned, his eyes narrowing as he peered back at the Akuma they we're leaving in the distance. "Got a plan to leave him quaking in his boots this time?"

Ladybug bit her lip, struggling to turn her gaze away and carefully assess the threat. It was hard not to let her default "Adrien" panic take over. It was harder still to pull away and focus on bringing the Akuma down.

Especially while she was half-fascinated by the play of rose gold darkening his cheeks just beneath his mask.

He was just as affected… and just as unaware as she had been…

Ladybug blew out a shaky breath, careful not to let her eyes stray back to his for long. "You ready, Kitty?"

Glowing green eyes softened before he too turned back towards their target, his claws extending, though he had been far more still on his feet than usual. "Whatever mew need… I've got your back."

He really did have her back, even when she was a little bit dazed by it all. Even when he'd barely been keeping it together himself...

Straightening her shoulders, it had taken every spare ounce of her self control to step away from him to call up her Lucky Charm.

The stirrings of a plan in mind, she raced back down - wanting to soothe Adrien's pain as quickly as she could manage.

But it was a struggle to focus, when Chat Noir - unfailingly reckless - hit the ground just behind her, sucking his breath back in a pained hiss.

"Chat…" She whimpered somewhat helplessly.

Her partner bit off a pained smile, nodding her forward encouragingly with a half-hearted wink. "I'm feline fine, my Lady…"

She set her jaw, shielding him as much as she could as she scoped out the best path to bring down this Akuma.

After another close call - too close to him - Ladybug had finally been able to shift her laser focus onto the Akuma that dared to threaten him - them both.

It had only taken a few minutes more for her to roll out her plan - mostly because she was able to put some distance between herself and Chat.

The Gold Giant came rushing forward - faltering, and then falling over the red and black mess of marbles she'd set out for him, landing prone on his back. Ladybug snapped her yo-yo in to distract the giant while Chat Noir went in for the kill - jabbing the telescoping baton against the akumatized amulet to shatter it into pieces.

In a dazed rush, Ladybug purified the Akuma and scooped up a fair number of marbles into the bag so she could toss her charm into the air - and give her kitty relief from his pain.

Chat limped towards her, steps becoming more sure as the red and black rush danced over his leg. He smiled softly, his glove extended out for the usual fist bump. "Pound it," he murmured.

Ladybug hadn't held back, rushing in to give him a hug in thanks; after the fairly thorough beat down they'd endured, he hadn't exactly been ready for her to knock him back again.

Chat Noir had blinked in surprise for only a moment, before holding her tightly. He chuckled, a bit breathlessly. "That wasn't exactly what I'd meant, Bugaboo..."

But he hadn't exactly pulled away either.

She breathed in... relief - and the heady mix of his scent - flooding and lulling her senses, as one of his claws traced lazily over her back. "Don't call me Bugaboo," she chided, as her shoulders slumped wearily.

Eventually - with the sudden flash of a camera - Ladybug came to her senses, reeling back off of him in stunned realization.

She stammered, professing something about a pile of homework, and rushed to pull her yo-yo from the pouch at her hip and speed away.

"Ladybug!" Chat called out after her, dusting himself off as he picked himself back up off the ground. "Are you alright?"

Blushing, Ladybug halted atop the ledge. She hesitated only a moment before peering back over her shoulder with a nod and a wistful smile. "I will be."


	7. Chapter 7

Marinette flopped down onto her bed face first, then buried her head under her pillow in the hopes that she could stifle the flames of her burning mortification...

She had never been more painfully aware of the space between herself and her partner, and thanks to the glamour dropping, she had spent the better part of the afternoon yearning to fill it. The past half hour alone was spent practically leaning into his every touch… and her traitorous nose (now acutely attuned to her partner) was taunting her with the phantom smell of almost-leather - as if her face was still buried in his neck from their brief tumble to escape the Akuma.

Ladybug was all cleverness and strength, with brash confidence that she wielded like a weapon. Not whatever… THIS was.

EMBARRASSING - that's what this was… and she never imagined she could be such a disaster around him as her super powered alter ego. Disaster was supposed to be strictly reserved for Marinette.

He was driving her crazy… in all the best and worst ways.

"Oh…" Marinette moaned mournfully into her mattress before tossing the pillow against the wall beside her. "This is really bad, Tikki."

Tikki just chuckled, cuddling up to her ear. "I promise. It isn't as bad as all that…"

Marinette turned her head and faced her Kwami with a deadpan glare. "It is especially bad for keeping Paris safe…"

Her bangs were ruffled slightly in response. "That is a definite problem. But you and I, we're both in the business of solving those."

Marinette sighed, tucking her chin down onto crossed arms. "So Tikki... you aren't as much of a wreck as I am?"

Tikki just chuckled, tugging the edge of the comforter up over her charge. "Not really. It doesn't affect me… not after all these millennia. I'm much too used to that old cat. And while it has been a little while since we've been together for any more than a few minutes at a time, it isn't like everything is brand new to us. I'm mostly affected whenever balance is out of alignment. The mess is like a catalyst, pressing me all the more to set it back to rights."

"So this pull is… normal?"

"Totally." Tikki soothed, her tiny head burrowing under the top of the comforter, cocooning herself against her chosen's cheek. "Plagg's instincts for destruction crave my creative ones. Just as mine crave his destruction - or rather, to "clean up" the mess that was left in the wake of an Akuma. The tidal wave of Ladybugs descend almost mercilessly to bring Paris back to balance. And it's that same itch towards harmony driving them…"

"What about the timer on my earrings... is that like a fail-safe, for me to get away before your own limits are exhausted?"

Tikki's brows furrowed in thought. "Mostly. Using a Lucky Charm is a way to shift the weight of potential that is hanging in the balance. It's like the universe is waiting to just tip slightly and shift the states back towards harmony, and you're giving a boost to that potential. Now that you no longer have a buffer to shield you from what you described as a pull, you'll have to wait for your senses to reach a state of homeostasis again. Even if you felt you were prepared for this change, it would still take your own equipoise a little while to catch up and for you to feel "normal". But it will catch up, Marinette. I promise."

Marinette blinked, peering up at the skylight. "So then, it's possible that I might get a little more time before de-transformation…"

"Eventually," Tikki chirped. "If you can focus. What's going to cause you the most trouble right now is really the mix of hormones and pheromones. The glamour worked to suppress it. It's part of why the secrecy was so necessary."

Ears burning bright, Marinette snagged the edge of the comforter, tossing it up over her face, hissing in an embarrassed whisper. "You mean hormones are why we needed to keep everything secret!?"

Snickering, Tikki shook her head, tugging the comforter back into place. "Since the very start, you two have been putting out a heady mix, and no amount of glamour could fully mask the effects you have on one another. Your job is important, and getting it done required critical focus, especially in the beginning. Make no mistake though- your crush was real and natural, and 100% Marinette induced. However, it flourished in part because of your magical connection - through recognizing Chat's positives, the very bits of himself that you very much need."

"The identity protection is... was... a necessary evil. It wasn't always needed in the past - but then, our holders weren't always fighting human adversaries. It eventually became a convention - at least at the start of every partnership - since there was no way to predict the potential risks to our holders outside of battles. Training Miraculous holders without the safety of anonymity was perilous at best. And it was fraught with added emotional (and hormonal) levels that put both chosen and Kwami at risk." "The the sudden absence of Chat's glamour has served to, again, throw off balance, and essentially make you feel as if all your wires got crossed. We've worked to keep revelations as something that would only happen naturally... if your capacity for maintaining balance matured - if ever that happened. Until now, the glamour was basically keeping his full nature hidden, but I'm sure you can't deny now that Adrien has always been pretty destructive to your own good sense."

"Ugh," Marinette grimaced, drawing her hands up over her face.

Tikki just smiled. "And yet you scramble to clean it back up. To patch the holes, to find new ways to steady yourself."

Marinette peered up over her hands.

"I'm not sure how much you've noticed, but Adrien has flourished within the constraints of creativity. He is constantly surrounded by it. His Mother might be gone now but she was a known actress. His Father… is obsessed and mostly absent… but we can't discount his creative genius. "

Marinette nodded. "And Adrien himself is apparently quite the skilled pianist."

"Right, he's played a fair bit of music," Tikki mused aloud. "Clearly, he has thrived on creative energies, almost as if he's fed by them. But he's not a creator... he's more like a weapon. Adept with handling and utilizing those creative aspects... with helping to build them up - honing them… and then using them to devastating effect. You've seen what he can manage on the catwalk with your creation - and his Father's of course."

Marinette's eyes widened, recognition dawning. "Adrien excels just as much with fencing. He brings that skill and knowledge, tapping into it to fend off some of the more ruthless attacks and spotting the weak points to turn those against the Akuma… or the buildings around them."

Tikki beamed, unfailingly pleased with her chosen's cleverness.

Marinette sighed, peering up at the skylight. "Adrien's been all alone, except for a little interaction with Chloe. He must have had tutors - and that whole wall of video games, but that had to be a pretty lonely existence."

"With lots of time for him to think through the basics of tactical planning… but not so much about people skills. And yet, for all of that, he seems to have an endlessly sunny disposition." The Kwami shook her head. "I'm not all that surprised to see him as Plagg's chosen. He does often tend to find those who are a little more tragic."

Mischief gleamed in Marinette's eyes. "So you're saying… he's an excellent foil to Plagg."

Tikki snorted, tickling her charge. "Save that for Chat. You and I both know that will make his night."

Marinette curled up under her blanket, leaning her head against the massive Cat pillow that wound around to the other side of her bed, as her fingers smoothing over the fluffy fabric, quietly lulling her mind towards sleep.

Relieved, Tikki sighed and slumped further into the mattress herself as the quiet dark slipped over the room.

"Tikki?" Marinette murmured.

"Hmm?"

"Were you ever going to tell me who he was?"

Tikki's lip pressed into a thin line. "Honestly, Marinette, I wasn't exactly sure that Adrien was your other half at first, so I really couldn't tell you. And even if he wasn't your other half, I wasn't about to stand in the way of your creative flurry. There's romance in the creative... in the fundamental, more primal nature of creation itself. You've always been eager to make things in your adoration for him. Ingenuity is sparked to life through the feelings people share for one another." The small God paused thoughtfully for a moment...

"After time though, I did notice that bad luck tended to follow him- not even necessarily of his own doing. I admittedly had hopes and suspicions in those earliest days. But it definitely became clearer after I saw him when Dark Owl was… crying fowl."

"Tikki!" Marinette gaped back at her, appalled at the pun.

Tikki giggled, as a tiny pink pillow was thrown her way, landing with an all-too-solid thunk.

Flinching suddenly, the Kwami phased out of sight.

Blinking, Marinette puzzled at the sudden disappearance before glancing up. She peered up, catching a glimpse of his shadow and glowing eyes up through her skylight door.

"Kitty?"

* * *

Chat's ears twitched, as he tilted his head, blinking in bewilderment.

Sweet a friend as she was, it was an endearment he wouldn't have expected to hear from Marinette's lips.

And yet, that one single word managed to tug at his heartstrings…

He'd been running aimlessly these past twenty minutes, puzzling just what to make of his interactions with Ladybug. After he gathered his wits, he'd vaulted off the rooftop where she had left him stunned. He'd needed to settle down before he went home but running hadn't proved to be productive. And he knew Plagg wasn't going to be exactly helpful, so he did the only other thing that came to mind.

He came to Marinette for guidance... to try to make sense of Ladybug's actions. But now, he was sure he would only be leaving more confused than he was when he'd arrived.

"Chat? What's the matter?" Her blue eyes widened as she pulled herself up onto the rooftop. "Is there another Akuma?"

She bit her lip, answering her own question before he could - before he could even think to. "Of course not. You wouldn't be stopping here."

Her nose wrinkled up as she worried her lower lip. "You're not hurt, are you?"

He gave her a crooked, rueful grin. "Nothing like that," he assured. "I'm just… puzzled. And I wasn't really sure where else to go."

Her arms folded over her chest as she quipped. "You couldn't talk to Plagg?"

The edge of one lip lifted higher. "Okay, I wasn't sure where else to go that would be helpful." He sighed... "And much though I sometimes wish he could, Nino wouldn't really understand the… superhero aspects of the situation…"

Frowning, Chat Noir set to pacing. He was still jittery; too much anxious energy that had him struggling to settle down.

If anything, it was contagious as Marinette had her brows furrowed, fidgeting slightly as she carefully watched him move back and forth. "What's got you so worked up?"

He blushed, ducking his head slightly. "Well… it's Ladybug…"

"Ladybug?" Her voice was soothing though her brow had furrowed. "Then, couldn't you talk with her?"

He halted in place, staring back over to where Marinette's gaze had dipped to the floor. She had leaned back again the brick wall, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Unfortunately not…"

Blue eyes snapped up to his. "Oh?"

"I think she likes me."

She chuckled airily. "She's your partner, Chat. Of course, she likes you."

He shook his head, then walked away from her, wrapping his claws around the metal railing of her balcony. "Not like this. This was… different." His eyes slid closed as he struggled to focus. "I've heard from her - over and over - that she had some crush on another guy. She'd all but encouraged me to move on, despite my original persistence… and how much I struggled with the idea. No matter how much I hoped my feelings could reach her."

His muscles tensed as he heard the soft shuffle of footsteps behind him. "Now all of a sudden…"

Marinette was suddenly beside him, peering out over the dimly lit sky. "She's changed her mind?"

He nodded. "I mean, I think so? I'm not sure how else to describe it. We've always been close. We're partners after all. And we've been knocked into one another by Akuma more times than I can count."

He sighed. "This… this just feels different."

Her gaze was glassy - a little distant - but her eyes strayed to him. The ensuing silence was a little more tense than he'd expected, but then she murmured. "And... you're happy about it?"

"Ecstatic!" He beamed… until it was tempered with a heavy dose of uncertainty. "I'm just worried I'm going to screw it all up. I don't even have the slightest idea what caused this change…"

She nodded, rubbing her hands over her upper arms.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable with all of this. It's just, you've heard me about this before… and were so understanding then."

"Before?" Marinette shook her head, clearly not recalling the conversation.

"When we were going skating…" Adrien sighed heavily. "I was trying - and failing to get Ladybug out of my head…"

Her eyes narrowed, clearly confused. "But you mentioned Kagami...?"

Chat grimaced slightly. "Kagami was nice enough to kind of let me play "target practice"… just like we do with matches. Besides, I couldn't exactly name drop Ladybug, could I? Not without looking like some sort of crazy fan…" His chuckle was rough. "And we both know about THAT a little too well…"

Marinette blushed ruthlessly at the memory.

It was only when he set a reassuring hand on her her shoulder that he noticed she was shivering a little. He searched around for anything that might work as a blanket only to come up empty handed.

Frowning, he gently ushered her back over to the hatch and back down to her room.

Marinette glanced up at him, concern clear in the look she gave to him. "You're going to be alright?"

He nodded, pulling his hand away from her shoulder only to tug out the baton for his journey home. "I just really don't want to screw things up."

Her lips curved. "I think I can understand that…"

As she opened the hatch to venture back down into the warmth of her room, he fretted, turning back. "In all honesty? Do you think I might be right?"

Marinette's gaze softened. "I think we can probably trust your instincts."

* * *

As she ducked back down into her room, Marinette didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

At least the hormones were a bit muted while she wasn't transformed… especially because sleep was definitely off the table now.

Marinette slumped back against the mattress. "Is this just going to get worse, Tikki?"

Tikki sighed as she clamored out from the under the pillow she'd been hiding under. "Before it gets better, yes."

Hesitant, Marinette nibbled at her bottom lip. "And Chat might have to deal with it, too?"

Tikki nodded as she considered Marinette's question, then her face twisted up into a little frown. "I'm still irritated with Plagg even if this whole mess wasn't entirely his fault. Unfortunately, it's not like I could exactly attack him while Adrien was watching… not without unveiling you."

Marinette bit her lip. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

"While you're still getting used to it all?" Tikki's mouth quirked as a stubby paw tapped her lips. "It isn't going to do Adrien any favors… You've seen Plagg in action. Now, imagine Adrien feeling the way you are feeling. All that destructive energy and power is hard to control at the best of times. If you think about the Law of Conservation of energy from your Physics lessons the other day - his destructive force will basically have to transfer form. All that destructive potential is going to take some serious will power to control and balance out."

"So I just need to survive getting used to him… and him growing used to me. All while balancing the powers of creation and destruction through the haze of pre-destined, hormonal magnetism! No problem!" Sarcasm gave a heavier edge to Marinette's growing panic.

"If we're all very lucky…" Tikki chirped, burrowing into the pillow beside her.

With a weary sigh, Marinette slammed her eyes shut, trying to desperately forget the awed softness of a certain someone's glowing green eyes as if Paris depended upon it.

Because, of course, it did...


	8. Chapter 8

Plagg unleashed a long-suffering sigh as he spiralled out of his transformation.

Not that the kid noticed. No, he was still a bit dazed by it all. As if the sheer prospect that Ladybug might have finally succumbed to his questionable charms was too heady and baffling for him to have had the slightest bit of common sense.

"You're lucky that pigtails thinks you are cute." Plagg scoffed as he stopped momentarily to consider his chosen.

"Huh?" Adrien looked up, startled.

"You are spectacularly dense."

Adrien frowned.

Plagg didn't explain why, letting his silence speak volumes more than he could as he dove into the fridge. Not that he actually could fill those gaps in understanding… not without the threat of Tikki's all-encompassing rage raining down on his head.

Sighing again, Plagg tossed open the mini-fridge door, hefting the wheel of cheese out as a well-deserved trophy. He had to give pigtails credit; she'd tried so hard to be sweet and encouraging. But there was enough there—in those tensely awkward silences—that it really should be giving the kid pause.

But no. Plagg grumbled, biting into the delectable morsel of cheese just as fast as he could demolish the rind. No, he just had to end up with the fairly clueless kitten.

* * *

After he'd arrived at school the next day at school, Marinette had lingered close.

She had arrived early—very unusual for her—and was watching him studiously, making a careful point to check on his leg. "How is your leg doing?

She looked a little distracted… not quite meeting his eyes, which puzzled him immensely.

Adrien was quick to reassure her with a smile. "Fine. Really, I'm surprised that you even noticed it." It wasn't often that he had been well and truly injured as Chat—and only after he'd been injured as a civilian first.

"You think I…" she trailed off. Marinette gaped at him, stunned. "Adrien! Of course, I pay attention; we're friends, aren't we?" She had just been so tired—and a little distracted by well, things—that she had entirely forgotten about his injured leg until after he'd left.

He nodded, blushing a bit.

Her eyes strayed away, carefully. "Adrien, I know you've been injured in battle before, but I wasn't really sure how well the suits healed everything up. Especially since the only other time I knew about, you took the injury as a civilian."

Adrien goggled at this.

Marinette hedged, "I puzzled it out, considering past injuries. You don't spend more than a year or so as the best friend of Paris' Ladyblogger without hearing way too much detail about every battle." She smiled. "I think the last time must have been when Kagami had been Akumatized—after the first time you sparred here at school." She wasn't exactly sure what had Akumatized Kagami, but the timing made her feel guilty for sure.

He nodded. "You must be right… it really wasn't something I was considering. Ladybug's magic always seems to do the trick."

Marinette nibbled at her lip. They were both lucky enough that Ladybug's own luck out of the suit had held thus far… but she was never entirely sure that everything could be fixed.

* * *

It wasn't until later in the class that Adrien came to a rather startling awareness.

Only Ladybug had really been close enough to see that he had been injured, and they were on the move almost as fast as the battle had begun.

He hadn't imagined that the Ladyblog could have footage, but Alya seemed capable of far more than he'd ever thought.

Not all of Alya's footage and camera shots went up onto her website. Alix had managed to get some from inside the Louvre, but she hadn't gotten her dad's permission to even view it, so it wasn't like it was posted for anyone else to have seen.

Somehow, Marinette had noticed something that even Alya hadn't. She was way more observant than he'd ever thought…

Adrien gulped, his eyes growing wide. What else had she been noticing? An errant thought crossed his mind. If she'd known and noticed enough to puzzle together who he was with little more than seeing Plagg, would she maybe have some idea who it was that was hidden behind Ladybug's mask?

Would she have some secret insight into Ladybug's head—or dare he hope—heart?

He gnawed at his lip, peering anxiously over his shoulder.

If she did? That would technically put Marinette more at risk…

And that wouldn't do at all.

* * *

With each passing hour, Marinette struggled more with how to act around him.

At least the glamour problem wasn't nearly as bad outside of the suit, but that didn't mean that this new-found knowledge wasn't starting to get under her skin a bit.

Pinpricks—not unlike Chat Noir's claws—chased along the back of her neck when Adrien beamed down at her with that crooked smile.

It was purely her partner—she could see it for the unchecked, genuine fondness.

But it was the sweet softness in those placid green eyes that was threatening to be her undoing.

She could hardly keep her eyes off of him.

Chat never really had a good concept of personal space as it was, but now, he kept watching her. Every time she looked up—more frequently than she'd like to have admitted—his eyes were trained on her, and it felt like he was invading the very air she breathed.

Though he was usually all-too aware of the destruction he could cause, Adrien appeared to be entirely oblivious to the havoc he was wreaking to her composure…

Even though his eyes kept locking with hers.

Even though she was barely holding back the growing wave of panic each and every time.

* * *

Marinette pulled at her pigtails; she'd been so distracted that she tanked a test.

And sweet (oh-so-oblivious) Adrien offered his help.

Alya accepted for her, assuming Marinette's usual word soup was better headed off at the pass.

There was no way she could say no now… not without making Alya suspicious, and not without quashing the softly pleased smile on Adrien's lips.

She glared down at her bag in askance. Where was Tikki's luck when she so desperately needed it?

* * *

Marinette hunched over her desk at home, scribbling furiously as he paced the softly creaking floorboards behind her.

Chat Noir sighed. With his father away in Milan for business for a few days—and because Nathalie wasn't nearly as observant once he appeared to be safely sequestered in his room—Adrien could safely escape and help his friend out as much as he pleased.

Marinette was falling behind in classes, and he couldn't help but feel partially responsible.

Of course, she should never have had this extra burden dropped upon her shoulders.

Drawing in close, Chat peered down to check her progress on the problem set. All things considered, she was actually catching up pretty quickly.

She froze when he hovered close, soft blue eyes growing wide as she glanced back up at him.

Blinking, he took a step back. "Sorry."

Her face flushed as she snapped her focus back to the page. "It's fine." Her voice was a little high to his more sensitive ears. "It's… just a little distracting…"

Rueful, Chat nodded, drawing back to pacing. He stretched, and his gloved hands slipped back behind his neck. After a near endless assault, Hawkmoth had backed off a little. Neither he nor Ladybug had the slightest clue why. But he owed it to her—and to Marinette—to be ready to set off at a moment's notice.

She sat back in her chair, peering over at him anxiously. "I'm just not used to you being so close, you know?"

He tilted his head, lips pursing slightly. "Really? I had kind of thought we were both good friends…"

"Not like that…" Her eyes drifted up to the high ceiling, searching. "I mean, I've seen enough footage of your battles to know that you and Ladybug are always close… it just isn't something I'm used to… from you. If that makes sense…"

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." His face seemed to lose some color and guilt took over his features.

"Neither did I, Adrien. I'm just not used to seeing that from you."

His shoulders slumped. "Being close to other people… I'm sorry, it's a bit of a novelty for me. Generally, I have Father's eyes forever over my shoulder, so I really don't feel relaxed enough for that."

Marinette rested her chin in her palm, quietly watching him… urging him to continue.

"All this?" He gestured to this suit. "It came when I was just finally starting to get out from under some of Father's hardest set rules. I wasn't able to attend that first day of school because Father had Nathalie and the Gorilla chased me down and bring me home. He'd never approved of me going to public school in the first place."

He looked up to see her confused expression, which seemed to ask 'why'. Chat Noir just shrugged, answering the silent question. "It was only much later that I realized how that escape to school was what actually let Plagg find his way to me…"

"I'm glad he did… choose you, that is. It really does suit you." Her cheeks held just a tinge of pinkness as she watched him.

"You think being Chat Noir suits me?" His green eyes sparkled a little because of her endorsement; she only nodded quietly. "There's a lot that people don't know about the Black Cat miraculous—heck, there's a lot that even I don't know about it. I am glad you think I'm suited for the job, because I really do strive to be what Paris—what Ladybug—needs. I think the powers Plagg has… they're really strong. And in the wrong hands… well, I almost don't even want to consider that."

Marinette's head tilted slightly as she gave him an appraising look. "You have the power to be destructive… but you also have the wisdom when to be… well, not."

"You think I'm wise?" Chat smiled playfully over at her.

She snorted, then smirked slightly. "I think you have the potential to be."

He pouted, slumping back down onto the chaise. "I'm plenty smart."

She nodded. "Sure. And plenty reckless."

His expression turned suddenly serious. "I'm only reckless when I need to be… At least, I am now." His gaze dropped from hers and he had a faraway look on his face.

"In the beginning, recklessness came easy. I learned about my powers mostly mid-battle—mostly from watching and listening to Ladybug. She was amazing. I just viewed these powers as freedom, but she had basically the same set… and despite all her fears and doubts, she faced the responsibility head on. She called out an insanely powerful villain and took him on—barely a few minutes after she'd been outright terrified of failure."

Her nose scrunched up. "Then, why are you still so reckless now."

"I'm reckless now because she needs me to be. Even though I know she hates it. But Paris cannot afford to lose her, so it means I'm going to take risks. Besides, I trust that she wouldn't stop until she brought me back—if it ever came to that." He finally lifted his eyes to meet hers, and was almost surprised to see how wide they were and how solemn she looked.

"Hopefully, it never will," she said quietly.

Chat Noir nodded. "I can't help but hope… that maybe someday she'd be able to see the same tenacity in me. I know she would do everything in her power to protect me; I know she cares about me in some way, but I can't help but want more. That's why I've found it so hard to move on… even after she's asked me to…"

Marinette's eyes narrowed, setting her pencil down to the desk with finality. "She's allowed to have a crush on someone, you know. Just like you are…"

"Marinette," Chat Noir murmured, sitting up and gazing back toward her. "I understand that. She's a human underneath her persona, the same way I am. Her crush doesn't change the way I feel about her though, even though she keeps pushing me away. I know there's someone else that holds her heart… even if she can't ever tell me who." He sighed then, and his shoulders slumped. "I've just assumed my hope at a relationship with her keeps being foiled by my rotten luck. I want her to be happy though, so I can only hope she's been having more luck with her crush..."

"I'm sure Ladybug never meant to hurt your feelings… I'm sure of it."

He nodded. "She's told me as much. It doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt."

"Chat…" she whispered sadly. Not low enough that he couldn't hear it.

"But… is it really so wrong to hope, despite all the time she's spent pushing me away? I just don't know what to think… not after she just pulled me into her arms."

"Maybe she doesn't know what to think, either, Chat Noir." Marinette nibbled at her lip, her eyes dipping to the patterns along the floor. "I don't think she would have left you so quickly afterwards. Not if she was so sure of herself and her own feelings."

He nodded automatically. "I can only hope you're right…"

Silence filled the room, as she slipped her pencil back between her fingers.

He let the scritch-scratch of graphite to paper fill in the lull until it came to a screeching halt.

"Wait…" Marinette's nose scrunched up. "Then, what about Kagami? It definitely seemed like you liked her a lot, especially when you'd asked for my help on your ice skating date with her."

"I was trying to move on. At that point, it was basically what Ladybug had asked of me." Chat grumbled, fingertips scrubbing over his masked eyes. "But even that hasn't gone according to plan. I'm not exactly the type to downshift so fast."

He shook his head. "When you fell on the ice that day, I couldn't help but rush in. I can't stand to see my friends get hurt… even if Kagami hadn't apparently been all that happy with me about it."

When he chanced a glance at her, Marinette wore a pained expression.

"I dunno. I'm probably not the most attentive boyfriend..." He sighed wearily. "But Kagami has been a great friend."

Marinette nodded, a mischievous smirk lighting her too-blue eyes. "And an excellent foil, huh?"

Chat Noir beamed, a hearty guffaw slipping past his lips.

Even minutes later, as Marinette was winding down the last of her study problems, he was still shaking with silent laughter.

"Feeling better now?"

He smiled over at her, resting his chin on his outstretched, folded arms. "I think I'll survive."

Marinette's lips curved upwards, as she loaded her books into her school bag. "I thought you'd like that. I was saving that one up for a while."

His lips mirrored hers. "Thank you, Marinette."

Startled, she blinked before snapping her eyes back to his. "You were the one helping me, you silly Chat."

"Was I?" He drawled, half-lidded eyes blinking slowly as he gazed at her, trying to borrow every spare ounce of Plagg's extra perception to puzzle his good friend out.

Marinette's confidence buckled a bit under his intense scrutiny, a fierce heat darkening her cheeks.

But to her credit, she didn't let her eyes slip away. She didn't dare.

Bounding up to his feet, Chat Noir stretched absently, pretending not to notice her fleeting embarrassment as he readied to leave his friend for the night.

* * *

The chill of the wind on his rush back home woke up Chat Noir's sleepy mind.

Try and try and try as he might, he definitely wasn't over Ladybug.

But at least for a while, Chat knew that it was Marinette who had helped him to forget.


End file.
